Beverage bottle case



July 9, 1968 ox 3,391,814

BEVER AGE BOTTLE CASE Filed June 20, '19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 El a a 5 l 1U-z9 [$19 ldzryl 14hr? 19 //v l/E/V Toe 7/7 5000? 50 July 9, 1968 T. M.BOX 3,391,814

BEVERAGE BOTTLE CASE Filed June 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 All IIIIIIIII;

//V l/E/V TOE ITAZL. RATH United States Patent 3,391,814 BEVERAGE BOTTLECASE Theodor M. Box, 57-tl2 251st St., Little Neck, N.Y. 11362 FiledJune 20, 1967, Ser. No. 647,499 5 Claims. (Cl. 22021) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Bottle carrying cases of the type designed with the tops orcaps of the bottles to be stored projecting above the upper edge of thecases, to serve as a support for the stacking thereon of a similar case,and with-the bottom walls of the cases being provided with depressionsregistering with the tops of the bottles in the cases below of a stack,are subject to the drawback and difficulty, especially during transportof the cases over roller-type transporting devices, such as inclinedslides or chutes, of being diverted and forced off the transportingdevices as a result of one or more friction rollers rotatively carriedby said devices engaging the depressions in the bottom walls of thecases. This difficulty is of an especially serious nature where saidbottom walls are provided with sets of mutually intersecting stiffeningribs merging into said depressions in the form of ramps, to cause thetops of the bottles to cam with said ramps for the lifting of a casebeing withdrawn from the case below in the stack, in a manner shown ingreater details in copending patent application Ser. No. 441,436, filedMar. 22, 1956, now Patent No. 3,349,943,

entitled Bottle Carrying and Stacking Case. The invention substantiallyovercomes the foregoing difficulty by the provision of a multiplicity ofelevations being flush with said ribs and distributed over the areasexterior of said depressions and ramps substantially uniformly andsymmetrically with both said sets of intersecting ribs.

The present invention relates to stackable bottle carrying cases, alsoknown as tote boxes, more particularly to cases of this type produced bymolding in a single unitary operation from a suitable high-impactplastic, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or a similar syntheticthermoplastic or thermosetting material.

More specifically, the invention is concerned with bottle cases for thestorage, transport and distribution of beverages, liquid foods and thelike substances of the special type, wherein the bottles or the likecontainers are stored in preferably compartmentalized case inpredetermined rows with the tops of the bottles projecting above theupper edge of the case and having surfaces coinciding with a horizontalplane, to enable the positioning or stacking thereon of another similarcase with the bottom wall of the latter resting upon the tops or caps ofthe bottles in said first case forming a supporting surface.

Bottle cases of the foregoing type have already become known which areprovided with means to align one case with another case, said meansconsisting essentially in the provision of recesses or depressions inthe undersurface of the bottom walls of the cases conforming to or beingadapted to receive the tops or caps of the bottles disposed in the casesimmediately below of a stack comprising a multiplicity of cases. Inother words, in the known bottle stacking cases the caps of the bottlesnest with or engage the recesses in the cases immediately above in thestack on all sides or along the entire periphery thereof.

A seriously felt disadvantage and defect of bottle cases of theafore-described type is due to the necessity of having to first lift acase from the case immediately below of a stack before it can be safelywithdrawn or removed from the stack without the danger of damage to orbreakage of the tops or caps of the bottles disposed in the case belowthe case being withdrawn. While a slight initial lifting of the case tobe withdrawn has been found to be sufficient to substantially avoid thedanger mentioned, practice has shown that this precaution is generallyignored, in that the more natural urge or tendency is to pull the casesoff horizontally from the stack, whereby to involve the danger of damageor breakage mentioned and, in turn, to result in the loss of thematerials or liquids stored in the bottles or other containers. Thisdifliculty is increased considerably where the bottom walls of the casesare fitted with reinforcing or stiffening ribs or the like projectionssuch reinforcing means being essential in order to provide adequatemechanical strength and stability of the cases with a minimum wallthickness or material required, in the interest of light weight andreduced cost of the cases, a main advantage of plastic carrying'casesover the conventional Wooden and metal boxes heretofore used for thesame purpose.

The foregoing disadvantages and difficulties are substantially overcomeby the construction and improvements according to the above-mentionedcopending application, the latter involving generally the provision of abottle carrying and stacking case of the referred to type comprising apair of side Walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall having anormally sub tantially smooth outer surface and being provided with amultiplicity of preferably part spherical-shaped or relatively shallowdepressions or recesses, said depressions being distributed over saidsurface, or relatively aligned and spaced from each other, such as toregister or coincide with the tops or caps of the bottles stored in thecases below upon which said first case has been positioned or stacked.The depressions, serving merely as locating or aligning means for theupper cases of the stack, are insufficient normally to retain the casesin aligned position independently of or free from the effects ofvibrations and the like impact forces to which the cases and bottlesstored therein are subjected during handling and transport.

In order to overcome the difiiculties mentioned, there are provided, inaccordance with the improvements of the copending application, specialretaining means in the form of sets of discrete retaining ribs extendingradially outwardly from the periphery of said depressions and havingwedge-shaped inner end portions forming guiding ramps of graduallyincreasing height from a point near said periphery to the full height ofthe ribs. Four such retaining ribs enclosing angles of and extending indirections parallel, respectively, to the side and end walls of thecases have been found to ensure satisfactory results in practice inlocating and retaining a case positioned upon the caps or tops of thebottles stored in the case below of a stack of cases, whilesubstantially overcoming the dilficulties and defects mentioned. Morespecifically, if a case constructed according to the copendingapplication is pulled off or withdrawn horizontally from the case belowof a stack, the aforementioned ramps in camming with the edges of thetop or caps of the bottles stored in the case below result in the firstcase being lifted slightly, to thereby facilitate its ready and easywithdrawal, substantially without the dangers mentioned of damaging orbreaking of the bottles and, in turn, loss of the contents storedtherein.

According to an improved feature, the retaining ribs are continuous orthroughgoing from depression to depression, to act as reinforcing orstiffening means of the bottom walls of the cases, to in turn increasethe mechanical strength and stability of the cases constructed with awall thickness reduced to a minimum. Looked at from another angle, thereare provided sets of intersecting longitudinal and transversereinforcing ribs projecting from the normally smooth bottom walls of thecases, said ribs being interrupted to provide gaps bridged by saiddepressions in said walls and formed with wedge-shaped portions or rampsmerging into said depressions, in the manner and for the purpose pointedout.

Other features and details of the construction of the cases forming thesubject of the instant application will appear from the prior copendingapplication, the disclosure of which is hereby embodied in the instantapplication by reference.

Bottle carrying cases of the afore-described type, while beingsubstantially devoid of the danger of damage to or breakage of thebottles during withdrawal of a case from a stacke, have been found to besubject to other difficulties and drawbacks during transport of thecases by means of conventional roller-type transporting devices, inparticular inclined transport slides or chutes. In the latter case, oneor more of the friction rollers rotatively supported by the devices areliable to engage with the ramps or depressions in the bottom walls ofthe cases, whereby to result in the cases being diverted from theiraligned position in respect to and to eventually be completely forcedoff the transport path or devices.

Accordingly, the major object of the present invention is the provisionof an improved construction of a stackable bottle carrying and shippingcase of the type according to the copending application by which theaforementioned and related difliculties and drawbacks during transportof the cases are substantially overcome or minimized by the provision ofrelatively simple and efficient means and substantially withoutinterfering with the function of the retaining ribs and guide ramps ofthe prior cases during withdrawal of a case from a stack.

The inventon, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects as well asnovel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a part elevational and part sectional end view of a stackablebottle carrying and shipping case of the type according to the copendingapplication and shown supported by a number of friction rollers of aloading or transport device;

FIG. 2 ShOWs a pair of cases according to FIG. 1 in stacked position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of the case according toFIG. 1, showing the improved construction according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, being similar to FIG. 3, shows a modification of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are similar to and show modifications of FIG. 6.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the different views of thedrawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally theprovision of a stackable bottle carrying and shipping case of the typereferred to and described in the copending application, said case beingfitted upon its bottom surface with a multiplicity of discreteprojection or elevations of a height equal to or flush with the heightof the guide ramps or reinforcing ribs or" the prior cases, saidelevations being located within the areas exterior of the bottlecap-receiving depressions and guide ramps extending from saiddepressions and being substantially uniformly distributed over saidareas symmetrically to both sets of stiffening ribs extending in thelongitudinal and crosswise directions over the bottom surface of thecases. There is thus provided an allover increased outer supportingsurface within a p'ane coinciding with the maximum height of said rampsor ribs and being the practical equivalent of a smooth bottom wall. Inother words, the invention, while enabling the retention of a relativelythin bottom wall reinforced by stiffening ribs, in the interest ofreduced bulk and weight of the cases, provides the equivalent of abottom wall of increased allover area and 4 thickness adequate toovercome the difficulties mentioned with a minimum of requiredadditional material, in the manner as will become further apparent asthe description proceeds in reference to the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the case shown of rectangularshape is comprised of a normally substantially smooth bottom wall 10, apair of side walls 11 and a pair of end walls 12, said walls having aminimum thickness compatible with adequate strength and stability of thecases. The cases may be subdivided in a known manner into rows ofcompartments by the provision of intersecting separating walls 13 forthe storing therein of a number of bottle or the like containers 14having caps 15 which project above the upper edges of the case, in sucha manner as to cause the surfaces of the caps to define a planesupporting surface for the mounting thereon of a similar case to bestacked upon said first case, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2.

For the latter purpose, the bottom walls 10 of the cases are providedwith relatively shallow or part spherical depressions or recesses 16relatively spaced and arranged so as to engage the caps or tops 15 ofthe bottles stored in the case below of stack, said depressions beingsurrounded by ribs 17 extending radially outwardly from the peripherythereof in two or more directions, while the inner portion of the ribsare shaped to form ramps gradually merging into said depressions, in themanner shown and further described in the copending application. Theribs 17 are advantageously extended from depression in both longitudinaland crosswise directions, in the manner shown, to provide intersectingsets of stiffening or reinforcing ribs, as shown in FIG. 3. Additionalstiffening ribs 18 and 20 interposed between the ribs 17 may beprovided, to increase the strength and stability of the bottom walls 10of the cases.

As a consequence, if a case, such as the upper case of FIG. 2, iswithdrawn horizontally from the stack, the ramps 17a, in carnming withthe edges of the caps 15 of the bottles, will result in the case beingslightly lifted, thereby to prevent damage to or breakage of thebottles, in the manner further described in the copending application.

In loading, shipping and unloading carrying cases of the type describedin the foregoing, it is customary to employ roller-type transportingdevices, such as chutes or inclined slides comprising essentially anoblong support or frame fitted with spaced sets or rows of frictionrollers, one such row of rollers 19 being shown in FIG. 1.

The cases may be conveyed or transported by gravity, as in the case ofan inclined slide or chute, or by any other suitable force. Since it isnot possible, for economic or other reasons, to especially design thecases in relation to the transport devices or rollers 19, the likelihoodexists frequently in practice of one or more of friction rollers 19interfering with or being engaged by the depressions 16 or ramps 17a ofa case, whereby to in turn result in misalignment or diversion of thecase from its proper transport path, or in being completely forced offsaid path or the transporting device, respectively. p

The foregoing difiiculty encountered in the transporting of the casesconstructed in accordance with the copending application issubstantially overcome by the improved bottom wall contsructionaccording to the present invention, as shown by FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Thelatter, while being completely devoid of any interference with theproper function of the retaining ribs 17 and guide ramps 17a of the'prior cases, provide an adequate increase of the effective or all oversupporting surface presented by the bottom walls of the cases such as topractically eliminate the danger of interference with or diversion ofthe cases from their proper alignment in respect to the transportingpath.

According to the modification of the invention shown by FIGS. 3 and 4,there are provided for the latter purpose a plurality of elevations 22upon the undersurface of the bottom walls 10 of the cases, saidelevations having a height equal to the height of the ribs 17 and beingsubstantially uniformly distributed over the areas of the walls 10exterior of the depressions 16 and ramps 17a and bounded by said ribs soas not to interfere with the proper function of the latter duringhorzontal withdrawal from a case below of a stack, in the mannerdescribed herein and in the copending application.

In the drawings, FIGS. 3-5, the elevations 22 are shown of ring shape,to leave central apertures in the bottom walls 10 in the interest ofdecreasing weight and cost of the cases. Furthermore, according to FIGS.3 and 4 the elevations 22 are evenly spaced along the peripheries of apair of circles concentric with the depressions 16, to result in auniform distribution of the elevations, while in the FIG. 5 modificationthe elevations 23 are located upon or distributed along the periphery ofa single circle concentric with the depressions 16, to result in thesame effect substantially without interfering with the function of thedepressions 16 and ramps 17a in the manner pointed out.

There is thus provided by the invention an adequate increase of theeffective or allover supportng surface of the bottom walls 10, toovercome the difficulties encountered in the transport of the cases,while substantially retaining the effects of the ribs 17 and ramps 17aduring stacking of the cases, as pointed out and explained hereinbefore.

In place of ring-shaped elevations 22 and 23 as furthermore shown byFIG. 6, the allover supporting surface of the cases may be increased bythe provision of either inverted cup-shaped elevations 24, FIG. 7, orsolid diskshaped elevations 25 as shown by FIG. 8.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference tospecific illustrative devices. It will be evident, however, thatvariations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalentparts for those shown for illustration, may be made without departingfrom the broader scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A bottle carrying and stacking case of the type described comprisingin combination:

(1) a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom wall,

(2) said case adapted for the storing therein in adjoining rows of amultiplicity of bottles with the tops of the bottles projecting abovethe top edge of the case, to provide a supporting surface thereby forthe positioning thereon of a similar case in a stack,

(3) said bottom wall having a normally substantially smooth outer bottomsurface provided with a multiplicity of shallow depressions spacedrelative to each other and distributed over said surface such as toregister with and engage the tops of the bottles stored in the casebelow of a stack,

(4) a pair of sets of spaced reinforcing ribs projecting outwardly fromsaid bottom surface with the ribs of one set intersecting the ribs ofthe other set,

(5) said ribs arranged with said depressions coinciding withintersection points thereof and said ribs being interrupted at the areasof said depressions and having inner end portions of a height graduallydecreasing towards and merging into said depressions, to form rampsintervening between said ribs and depressions, and

(6) a multiplicity of discrete elevations projecting from said bottomsurface to a height equal to the height of said ribs, said elevationsbeing distributed symmetrically to said ribs and substantially uniformlyover the areas exterior of said depressions and ramps and bounded bysaid ribs.

2. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sets of ribsintersect each other at right angles parallel to, respectively, the sideand end walls of the case.

3. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, said elevations consisting ofintegral ring-shaped members enclosing apertures in and projecting fromsaid bottom wall.

4. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, said elevations consisting ofintegral cup-shaped members enclosing apertures in and projecting fromsaid bottom Wall.

5. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, said elevations consisting ofintegral disk-shaped members projecting from said bottom wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,535,493 12/1950 Gerber.3,092,284 6/1963 Stout 220-21 3,349,943 10/1967 BOX 220-21 THERON E.CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. E. LOWRANCE, Assistant Examiner.

